As Time Goes On
by zombricorn
Summary: Everyone is at odds as they barely escape the farm. It's time for them to become a family again while trying to secure a safe location. Meanwhile, Andrea is living a new life with Michonne as they travel by foot to remote areas.


**As Time Goes On.**  
**Summary:** Everyone is at odds as they barely escape the farm. It's time for them to become a family again while trying to secure a safe location. Meanwhile, Andrea is living a new life with Michonne as they travel by foot to remote areas.  
**Rating:** T-M  
**Pairings:** Some really close friendship pairings. Glenn & Maggie.  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing!  
**Author's Note:** I decided to write my own take on this. I've been working on this for a while now and I've finally decided to post it. Set after the season 2 finale and before the season 3 premiere. Enjoy!

**1. Differences**

It looked horribly beautiful. The place they used to call home was taken over by the dead. The house still remained intact, but the windows were shattered, some of the siding tore off, the doors didn't close properly; chunks and blood of the undead covered the yard and the house. There was fog surrounding the area and the sun was going down. Off to the left, where the barn used to be, it now laid on the ground burned and gone. The wood was blackened and a tiny fire still remained. Maggie sighed deeply as she looked around. The place where she grew up, it was all gone, in a flash.

"Eh, I don't think any of the walkers resemble Andrea." Glenn muttered. While most of them escaped unharmed, Andrea got left behind. After a night of intense tension and with no sleep, they decided to head back to look for her. They weren't sure if she got bitten or if she managed to escape on foot.

Maggie numbly walked towards her home and looked around. Whatever was left of the walkers were too decayed to be Andrea. "Maybe…maybe she got out."

Rick came out of the house with some bags full of supplies, canned food, and blankets. "How far do you think she got?" He asked handing some of the bags to Maggie to carry back to the truck. Daryl came from behind the house and cursed lightly.

"It depends. But she ain't here, that's for sure." Daryl mumbled. "Either she got bit and ran. Or she's alive and out there somewhere." Maggie gripped the bags and looked back at her home. She never experienced a horde that big before. She lost two family members the night before and she didn't know how to handle the situation. She almost felt weak and emotional. Glenn walked up beside her and grabbed some of the bags. He gently smiled at her as he rubbed her arm.

Rick sighed as he rubbed his eyes. "I don't think we'll find her. We need to find shelters for us right now. It's getting colder each night; we can't live outside anymore." Daryl hesitated at first. He hated leaving someone behind that was family. But deep down he knew Andrea was out there somewhere. He slowly nodded his head in agreement as he placed his crossbow onto his back.

"But we keep our eyes peeled for her. No matter where we go." Daryl muttered as he turned around and turned on his motorcycle. Rick nodded towards Maggie and Glenn as they headed back the truck. They packed all the bags into the back of the truck. Glenn sat in the front with Rick, as Maggie sat in the back alone as she watched her home fade away again for the last time.

**2 hours later.**

Daryl carried in some wood that he managed to find that wasn't wet or rotten. He dropped it to the ground and began to work his magic. Lori huddled with Carl under blankets. Carol stood back and leaned against the hedge and gazed at the stars. Hershel was opening the cans of beans, as Beth quietly sang to herself. Glenn helped Daryl with the fire, as Maggie huddled in her blankets. Maggie rested her head on top of her knees and she could feel the tears stinging her eyes. She tried to blink them away, but some of them fell out.

Glenn could sense there was something wrong with her. He knew she never dealt with this before. This was completely new to her and it was unsettling. Glenn placed an arm over her shoulders and pulled her close to him. He laid his head on top of hers. "It may not seem okay right now, Maggie. But I will help you through this. I promise." He gently whispered to her. Glenn vowed he would help her with anything she needed. He wouldn't leave her side not until she was ready. Maggie nodded her head and seemed content to be in Glenn's arms.

Hershel finished opening the cans of beans and handed them to Daryl. Hershel was worried about his daughters but once he saw how Glenn was helping Maggie, he smiled gently at Glenn and nodded his head. Glenn smiled back, happy to know Hershel approved of them being together.

Daryl gently placed the cans on top of the fire and began to cook them. T-Dog helped Rick move the cars in more closer to the hedge in case they had to escape quickly. "Looks good." Rick said he walked back towards the group.

"Hey, man. I can take tonight's watch. You need your sleep." T-Dog offered. Rick stopped in his tracks and looked at him. Rick felt exhausted and drained. After everything that happened, he didn't stop to eat or sleep. This group was his to protect. Rick glanced at Lori and Carl. Carl was slowly falling asleep as Lori touched her growing belly. She still wouldn't look at him. Rick handed T-Dog the rifle.

"Anything happens…" Rick began.

T-Dog took the gun and sighed. "You can count on me. We ain't losing anyone else."

"Grub is ready!" Daryl hollered out. Carol made her way back, as did Rick and T-Dog. Hershel took a can as he shared it with Beth. Glenn shard with Maggie. Maggie lifted her head and smiled at Glenn as she took a fork and ate some of the beans. Rick took a can and handed it to Lori. She took it slowly as she looked at him for the first time.

"What about you?" she whispered.

"You're eating for two." Rick replied coldly, as he sat down next to her, gazing into the fire. Everyone else grabbed their cans and ate in silence. Rick only took two bites before handing his fork to Carl who eagerly took it. Lori ate slowly. With the way her pregnancy was, she wasn't sure how the beans would go. After a couple of bites, it was staying down pretty well. Lori then ate more eagerly, as well.

"We need to find somewhere else to hold off." Rick said out loud. "With the nights getting colder we can't stay out doors anymore."

Hershel swallowed his last bit of food. "I might know of a location. I used to know this guy, he…he didn't make it, but it's worth a shot."

"How far we talkin'?" Daryl asked. Hershel shifted a bit.

"That's the problem. It's close by a city." Hershel said. Rick bit his thumb and debated his options. "Probably 5 or so hours away; heading up North."

"We don't have any other options…" Rick began.

Carol made her voice be heard. "As we all know, the cities are filled with the dead. That's a suicide mission!" Carol raised her voice towards Rick. She was weary of him and didn't trust him like she used, too. In her eyes, he was cold blooded; a murder. Daryl gently nudged Carol to snap her out of it.

"Carol." Daryl said gently with a tone of warning. Carol looked at Daryl. Her eyes wide and alert; her cheeks bright red. Daryl narrowed his eyes at her and shook his head. Carol took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Rick replied. Carol looked at Rick, annoyed and upset.

"It's just. We lost so many people in these past couple of days. We can't afford to lose anymore. I'll be damned if I throw myself against those walkers anytime soon." Carol replied sharply.

Rick nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Yeah, I know. That's why on our way up to this city we're going to make stops. We are going to kill walkers with different weapons and we are going to get stronger. We have to stick together. Now more than ever."

"We tried doing that on the farm." Carol said.

"We can't always rely on guns, Carol." Lori made her voice heard now. Lori eyed down Carol and shrugged. "We…we _are_ broken and weak. If we're going to survive this we have to stick together and get stronger. Somehow, someway. We can't be at each other's throats anymore." Lori handed her can of beans to Carl. The redness in Carol's cheeks left but she was still agitated.

Everyone sat there in silence. Not knowing what to say or do. Glenn spoke up first. "Well. If we're heading into any type of city, or near a city, I know away around certain areas that are safe. Also, if the city wasn't blown up or hit by other survivors, it may hold some potential for weapons and supplies. It'll even give us some practice." Maggie didn't deny that. While the idea worried her, she nodded her along with Glenn.

"It'll be our best option for right now." Maggie said in agreement.

"Mmm, I agree." Daryl stated. "If Andrea is out there somewhere, she'll be trying to find shelter, too."

"This place is five hours away, Daryl." Carol reminded him.

"Don' matter. We keep our eyes peeled for her." Daryl stated.

Rick stood up and threw away the empty cans. "It's settled, then. Tomorrow we head out." Rick handed some extra blankets to Lori and Carl. He, too, lay down next to them.

T-Dog took his perch. He climbed up some rocks and sat on the chair that was there. There was a flashlight, a bottle of water, some sort of energy bar, a blanket, knife, and extra ammo if it was needed. T-Dog knew what he had to do. "I'll cover us, guys. Sleep."

Everyone else lay down and did their best to sleep. This night was colder than the previous night, but everyone fell asleep quickly. T-Dog zipped up his hoody and put on his hat, and while no walkers came within them, he still protected his family.


End file.
